Revenge of the giant colon: Most unusual blogs of 2013

Reporting for Orlando Business Journal can be a unique experience. I meet many unusual people, discover many odd facts and witness many strange events. And life gets even weirder when I leave the newsroom. Lucky for me, I get to document it all in a public forum. That way, there's proof I'm not making it all up.

And speaking of strange events, we at OBJ are in full Year in Review mode. What's that mean for you, dear readers? Well, as far as this blog is concerned, I get to take you on a trip down my whacked-out memory lane. If you think you're having a strange day, take a break and check out the strangest blogs of 2013. What's life without a little weirdness anyway?

See inside: A colon — yes, you read it right: If you've never spent time in a giant colon, you're missing out. Bet you never thought someone would ever say that to you, which is fine because I never thought I'd say it. There is no amount of explanation I can give to do this experience justice. It was both cleansing and cause for consternation. OK, click the link and I'll stop.

King Kong moments: Climbing a tower crane in downtown Orlando: How many of you can say you climbed to the top of a tower crane? Besides the crane operators. The view from 267 feet up is breathtaking. And the wind velocity is, well, surprising. Especially when it nearly takes the video camera out of your hand.

Orlando is for lovers. No, really: So last Valentine's Day, I saw that Orlando was not on anyone's top 10, or 20 or whatever list of romantic destinations. This was insulting to me, so I did some research and found that Orlando is so romantic, it's obscene. In a publishable way, of course. If you think the City Beautiful is only about giant mice and wizards and 80-degree weather on Thanksgiving, think again. Love is alive in O-Town. Oh yeah.

Life after Mickey: How Disney could fill the big, yellow shoes: Walt Disney said we should never lose sight of the fact it all started with a mouse. But what if Disney and Mickey parted ways? The copyright on the world's most famous corporate symbol ends in 2018 and, while there's no word that Disney will let it go, the media giant has taken steps to endear itself to new generations of fans who have no idea what a Mouseketeer is.

Festive facts about the business of Christmas: People vilify the corporate involvement in the holiday season. But did you know that the story of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer was the result of a store promotion? Or that the jolly visage of Santa would have never been realized without the help of a soft drink company? There's a lot to learn about the business of Christmas. And don't get me started on the toilet brush trees.

OBJ exclusive: The business of being Santa: And speaking of Christmas — I interviewed Santa Claus. Boom. How this did not make 60 Minutes or CNN I have no idea. I sat down with the big man to discuss social media, bad business decisions, health care. Nothing was off limits, and it's all right here.

So the unusual is looking pretty cool, huh? You never know what will happen or what we'll post. The colon is just the tip of the iceberg. Ouch. So stay tuned to OBJ.com for more weirdness in 2014.